Premier 290 Grand View

Grand View? Yeah that's an understatement. I guess "Unbelievable, spectacular, view from the top" was just too much for a model name. Talk about the ultimate pontoon boat: we were blown away at just how much this Premier had to offer. It truly is unique in every way.

The Highlights

It took two years in the making for the engineers at Premier to take an idea and make it a reality and in our opinion it was worth the wait. We've seen elevated helm platforms before, but nothing even compares to this model. It's like having theatre seating on a pontoon. The best part might just be the rear deck because those added back steps double as a place to sit when you're at the sandbar or watching the kids swim. There is also a stereo remote in the stern and another advantage to having twin outboards (besides the extra power of course) is the boarding setup. There are three actual steps with handrails, plus a drop down three-step ladder between the outboards that helps make boarding from the water very easy. We love this rear deck and feel a lot of people will too.

At the helm, besides the spectacular view, there is a great helm console that includes the standard Beacon touch screen that give you access to everything from your music to your docking lights, plus your owners manual. Oh yeah, it even has a rear-view camera so you can watch your skiers. There is also an optional Evinrude multi-function gauge as well, so you really can see everything from the captain's seat. Speaking of seating, the FlexSteel helm chair might just be the most comfortable seat onboard, but since the rest of the furniture is made from FlexSteel too, that's up for debate.

We call this the ultimate pontoon for a reason, so having two galley areas on this 10-foot wide `toon shouldn't surprise us, but it did. We love the portside galley with the glass sink bowl and faucet, plus stainless drawers below. But equally impressive is what Premier calls it Bombay Bar with two bar stools, an electric sink, a built-in cooler with a stainless cover, as well built-in wine glass holders.

Other key features include the 11-foot PWR ARM automatic bimini, Seagrass vinyl flooring, Polk speakers and sub, 7-foot in-floor ski locker and a 6-foot tall pop-up changing room that is built into one of the two bow chaise lounges.

Inspection Notes

There are two 27-inch diameter pontoons with a 36-inch diameter center tube that is part of the PTX package. After a close inspection this boat earned high marks for its overall quality construction, unique layout, as well as its fit and finish work. This is a safe family-friendly boat that is truly a one-of-a-kind.

Performance Evaluation

Even with twin 300s, we still took a double take when we saw the zero to 20 mile per time of less than 4 seconds. Considering how big this boat is, that's nothing short of impressive. With the proven PTX hull we were able to handle this pontoon like it was a 20-foot V-hull boat as we dived into the sharp corners. At full throttle we easily hit the 50 mph mark with the twin Evinrude E-TEC 300hp outboards. Now that's a lot of power! This Premier is fun to drive and it will surprise you by how well it really does perform.

Final Thoughts

If not done right, this could have been considered too much. But as-tested it has everything and then some going for it, plus it's done in a classy, elegant way. Only Premier could pull off something as unique and as well done as this.

Number of Occupants18

Price As Tested With Power$152.3K

Maximum Speed52.4 mph

Wild Ponies600hp

No. of Gates3

0-20 MPH3.9 seconds

Ladder Measurement6'0" deep

Why we love this boat.Two galley areas, a beautiful stern deck and a great mix of standard features and options. There is a lot to love. But the elevated helm, plus the power of twins, is what impressed us the most.

Just being picky.It's hard to knock a pontoon in this price category, especially when twin 300 engines are factored into the total cost as-tested. So being picky, it's not a pontoon the average family could afford, but one everyone could enjoy.